Erne Gaels 0-11 Kinawley 0-10

 

Erne Gaels secured the SFL Division One title as they edged out Kinawley by one point in a tight contest at Brewster Park today.

A point divided the sides at the end of a cagey first half, 0-05 to 0-04, although Kinawley could have went in at the break in front with Sean McManus having a penalty saved by Brian Ryder late in the half.

It remained nip and tuck in the opening period of the second half but three points in a row for Erne Gaels put them 0-10 to 0-07 ahead with 57 minutes played.

Kinawley did battle back to close to within one deep in injury time but a late Lorcan McKenna '45 drifted wide as Erne Gaels held on for the victory.

Erne Gaels had shaded matters in a nervy opening quarter to take a 0-03 to 0-01 lead.

Ryan Lyons clipped over a free and point from play while Oisin Kelm also registered for the Belleek outfit while Sean McManus landed Kinawley's opener with a fine effort from the right.

McManus and Aoghan Kelm then exchanged points before Lyons converted another free to put Erne Gaels into a 0-05 to 0-02 lead.

Kinawley though finished the first half on top with McKenna firing over before they were then awarded a penalty in the 28th minute. Aaron Tierney was fouled close to goal but McManus' effort was saved by Ryder before his follow up crashed off the crossbar as Kinawley survived.

McManus did though slot over a free at the end of the half to leave it 0-05 to 0-04 at the interval.

Erne Gaels edged two in front again at the start of the second half through a Shane Rooney free but Kinawley answered with points from half time substitute Ruairi Corrigan while McKenna drilled over a '45 to level it at 0-06 apiece.

The Brian Borus though failed to capitalise fully on their spell of dominance as they hit four successive wides before Erne Gaels went down the other end and Rooney knocked over to nudge the Belleek men back in front.

A Shea Keenan point tied things again but Erne Gaels hit back with three points on the bounce from Oisin Kelm, Rooney and Odhran Johnston to make it 0-10 to 0-07.

Back came Kinawley though with McManus and Paddy McGovern slotting over to leave one between them.

A converted Ultan Kelm free put Erne Gaels two up in added on time but another McManus point left the minimum between them, 0-11 to 0-10.

Kinawley did have a last gasp chance to force extra time from a '45 but McKenna's effort went wide as Ere Gaels claimed the win by the slenderest of margins.

 

ERNE GAELS: B Ryder; C Keown, P Ward, J McCann; U Kelm 0-01 (f), B Mullin, O Kelm 0-02; M Og McGarrigle, G McGloin; M Gilfeddar, R Lyons 0-3 (2f), A Kelm 0-01; T McCaffrey, D McCann, B McCann 

Subs – S Rooney 0-03 (2f) for B McCann (temp), O Johnston 0-01 for D McCann, G Deery for A Kelm 

 

KINAWLEY: O Melanaphy; N Bogue, J Allen, L Owens; C Murphy, A O’Cathain, P McGovern 0-01; A Tierney, E McManus; A O’Reilly, S McManus 0-05 (2f), D Owens; S Keenan 0-01, L McKenna 0-02 (1’45), R McAloon 

Subs – R Corrigan 0-01 for McAloon, S Doherty for Keenan, D McGovern for Owens, P Breen for Tierney, B Corrigan for A O’Reilly 

 

Referee: N Sweeney